What is the history of religious orders?

There are religious orders in the Catholic faith (though they may exist elsewhere) such as the Dominicans, the Franciscans, and the Benedictines. What lead to the founding of groups like these? What is the history of them within the Church and what role have they played throughout Church history? ----- Related: https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/82935/was-the-first-christian-community-a-model-for-religious-orders